Madang Province

It was an initiation into the community to exhibit and showcase before going into an actual show or festival out of the village, as per most of the traditions of villages in Madang Province.

The elders and leaders of the Kayan Community organized this event as part of their traditional rituals, but also to give a feel to the young men and women in their community, of how such events are hosted and performed so that they can learn and promote their culture.

The management was also urged to start carrying out surveys to counter and improve service delivery in the province.

Nurse Karen Demok called upon the Senior Executive Management to recall a workshop that was held by the National Health Department on National Health Service Standards last November.

She said it was high time now revisited and acted upon implementing the National Health Service Standards by conducting surveys in all the health facilities in Madang Province.

After so many trials, challenges and setbacks, Madang Province has now been chosen to roll out the pilot project, and have completed the workshop for all Law and Justice Sector Agency officers in Madang.

It was an intensive weeklong of information uploading and processing for the participants in terms of understanding the system itself and requirements needed in ensuring that it works and can be rolled out to the other 21 provinces.

On June 6th, the nurses hosted an in-house forum inviting the administration to address their issues within 14 days.

The Forum called on the Acting Chief Executive Officer and Director Public Health, Dr. Martin Daimen, and the Senior Executive Management of the Hospital to receive their forum agendas and also to address the issues.

Standing with them were Doctors, Sisters and other medical and clinical staff, who also want to see positive changes in the hospital.

Young and enthusiastic Leanne Ealedona, has been making an effort to change that by hosting a craft market since February this year.

The 4^th crafts market was successfully hosted at the Country Women’s Association grounds over the weekend. Leanne stated that the last three Market were hosted at the Madang Visitors and Cultural Bureau premises. However, due to some issues they had to find another location to host the end of May market.

Apart from pests and diseases that destroy their sugarcanes, Ramu Agri Industries’ biggest setback is cane fires.

The company has 7,500 hectares of sugarcane in the Markham Valley that consists of almost 80 percent estate and 20 percent outgrowers.

They currently have 275,000 metric tonnes of sugarcane that is estimated to produce 25,000 tonnes of sugar in 2023, with the acting general manager, Eric Wise, saying they hope to get that output instead of losing it through cane fires.

‘Kalibobo Delight’ has been shipped to the South Korean market with another prospect in place to export to Dubai as well.

Anan Coffee Cooperative Society is from the Kovon Local Level Government in the Middle Ramu District of Madang Province. It was established in 2014 with capital gained from 86 registered members. To date the group has grown its membership to 1754. It consists of four ‘mama’ groups and 127 SME groups.

The main reason for its establishment was to sustain the Sea Turtle Restoration and Protection Project (STRP) which was established in 2006 in Madang by Wenceslaus Magun.

Mr. Magun, the current project coordinator for MAKATA was then contracted by Turtle Island Restoration Network (TIRN), a 501c3 non-profit organization in US as their Western Pacific Campaigner.

MAKATA aims to prevent the loss of endangered sea turtles is sustained.

According to Willie Kolip, Madang’s Small Craft Officer with the National Maritime Safety Authority (NMSA), they are still waiting for the Provincial Government to pass the Small Crafts Bill so that a board can be elected; after that, the appointment of a Registrar to implement or enforce the process.

The free mass testing and treatment was conducted to commemorate World Malaria Day, which falls on April 25^th every year, with more than 150 people being tested and 11 people being treated for malaria.

The 2023 World Malaria theme is; ‘Time to Deliver Zero Malaria: Invest, Innovate and Implement’.

Public awareness on malaria, including children’s immunisation, TB and other diseases was conducted at the market, including distribution of brochures and posters to the public.